David Cameron is preparing to use the Parliament Act for the first time in a
decade in order to force the EU Referendum Bill into law before the next
election, the Telegraph has learnt

David Cameron is prepared to use special constitutional powers to ensure that plans for an EU referendum become law before the next election.

The Prime Minister has pledged to use the Parliament Act to overpower the House of Lords and get the EU Referendum Bill onto the statute book before 2015, it is understood.

Mr Cameron fears the Bill, which promises to give the British public a vote on membership of the European Union by 2017, could be killed in the House of Lords by Labour and Liberal Democrat peers.

That would leave the Conservatives vulnerable to attacks by Ukip in the next election.

The Act, which has been used only seven times in the past century, is sometimes described as the “nuclear” option of parliamentary process to break stalemates between the Commons and the Lords. It asserts the superiority of the House of Commons by allowing Bills that cannot clear the Lords to become law, but is intended to be used only in exceptional circumstances.

The Act was last used by the Blair government to force through the ban on foxhunting after years of acrimony over the issue.

Mr Cameron unveiled the plans at a meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 committee.

One MP present at the meeting said: “The Prime Minister is showing that he means business and that he will get it on the statute books.

“It shows that they really, really want it to happen. It also shows the Lords that they can’t mess with it.

“That wasn’t expected. It is significant and means that the bill will be on the statute before the next election.”

Mr Cameron dismissed suggestions the Conservatives should form an electoral pact with Ukip, saying Nigel Farage’s party wants to “destroy” them.

“They want to destroy the Conservative Party. They are not a friendly bunch that we can walk into coalition with. They want to take your constituencies and your voters,” he is understood to have told MPs.

Another MP who attended said that Mr Cameron was challenged repeatedly about immigration from Romania and Bulgaria.

“He was asked why the Government didn’t see this coming,” the MP said.

Mr Cameron said voters realise the economy is improving, but the debate must be more than abstract economic principles if the party is to win.

“George Osborne put us right back on track in the Autumn Statement,” he said. “People are beginning to sense we are turning a corner - jobs are growing."

But he warned: "It's too much about numbers. It's too much about the head. It's not enough about the heart.”

Mr Cameron said voters would favourably contrast his top team of George Osborne, Theresa May and Michael Gove with Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet and Nigel Farage's unruly party.

Mr Cameron sympathised with MPs on pay, saying he recognised they are continually being asked to contribute to tombolas and raffles.

He told the backbenchers: “I know it’s very tough. You have your families."

He last week told the House of Commons a proposed 11 per cent pay hike was "simply unacceptable”.

Mr Cameron’s address was punctuated by loud bangs of approval by MPs, audible in the corridor outside.

Mr Cameron told the Daily Telegraph beforehand: “I’m going to tell them, we have a plan. We’re going to stick to the plan. The plan will deliver.” He added: “Normally the press are only here if there’s a crisis.”